N.D. group reaches Constitutional amendment signature requirement

The North Dakota Feeding Families Committee has gathered the required signatures to get a Constitutional amendment on the November ballot safeguarding modern farming and ranching practices.

By:
Agweek staff report, Agweek

The North Dakota Feeding Families Committee has gathered the required signatures to get a Constitutional amendment on the November ballot safeguarding modern farming and ranching practices.

“We are gratified of the overwhelming support we have heard from North Dakotans as we crisscrossed the state, asking for their signatures,” says spokesman Doyle Johannes.

Johannes adds the committee undertook the task of collecting more than 31,000 signatures because it felt groups such as the Humane Society of the United States were putting food choices at risk using misinformation campaigns to destroy customer confidence in food safety.

“When HSUS can pressure retail food chains into making animal housing changes based on emotion rather than science-based farm practices, we all lose,” Johannes says. “What makes our food system work so well in this country is the diversity of our agriculture. Big farms, small farms, organic farms, traditional farms; they all help keep our grocery shelves full of choices for our customers. Why would we want to change that?”

The constitutional amendment will be assigned a number on the ballot and will read:

The right of farmers and ranchers to engage in modern farming and ranching practices shall be forever guaranteed in this state. No law shall be enacted which abridges the right of farmers and ranchers to employ agricultural technology, modern livestock production and ranching practices.

“Food is not a one-size-fits-all, kind of thing,” Johannes says. “We have as many food choices and needs as we have people. By making sure we can continue modern farming practices, we will be continuing to provide customers the varied food choices they want.”